The human knee joint is a hinge joint formed by the cooperation of the distal end of the femur and the proximal end of the tibia, as well as the cooperation of various tendons, ligaments, and cartilage surfaces with each other and/or the femur and tibia. Because of its natural anatomical configuration and the constant pressure it is put under, the knee joint is highly susceptible to the development of defects, whether caused by injury or natural wear and tear. These defects can cause long-term or even permanent pain to patients. Often times, a person suffering from such ailments will be unable to put much, or in some cases, any, weight on the injured knee, making it difficult or impossible to walk. As such, many surgical procedures have been developed to repair defects of the knee joint.
One type of knee ailment, which can result from trauma to the knee or from natural wear and tear, is the deterioration or other damage of the cartilage located on one or both of the femoral condyles. This cartilage provides an articulation surface that allows for the fluid movement of the distal end of the femur and the proximal end of the tibia (which also includes cartilage surfaces) with respect to each other. Cartilage defects may result on one or both femoral condyles. In the case of the former, unicondylar knee procedures have been developed to replace the cartilage surfaces (and portions of bone) on the single femoral condyle and corresponding cartilage surface (and portions of bone) of the tibia. In the case of the latter, total knee procedures have been developed to replace the cartilage surfaces (and portions of bone) on both femoral condyles and corresponding cartilage surfaces (and portions of bone) of the tibia.
Both unicondylar and total procedures involve the resection of at least one of the condyles of the femur to accept a femoral implant and the portion of the tibia corresponding to the femoral condyle(s) to accept a tibial implant. These implants are designed to replicate the articular surfaces formed by the original anatomy. Of course, depending upon patient size and/or other anatomical features, the size, location, and orientation of the femoral and tibial implants may widely vary. As such, much care must be given to properly implanting the implants so that the natural movement of the knee joint is restored. To aid in achieving this goal, trial implants, which essentially amount to provisional versions of the final implants, are often utilized. In addition to the tools utilized in making the bone cuts and for use in implanting the final implants, tools are often required to place the trial implants. The overwhelming number of implants, trial implants and tools required or desirable for a single knee surgery necessarily increases costs and overall time associated with the surgery.
Therefore, there is a need for an effective way of properly preparing the distal femur and proximal tibia to receive implants during a surgical knee procedure, through the use of less implants and tools.